CalRecycle selects first PRO

California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) reports that Circular Action Alliance (CAA) has been approved to serve as the first producer responsibility organization (PRO) for the implementation of S.B. 54, which introduces an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for single-use packaging and plastic food-ware waste.

RELATED: CalRecycle issues report on packaging recyclability

 The PRO responsibilities are specified in Article 2 of the statute (PRC 42050 to PRC 42057) and include:

• developing and submitting a producer responsibility plan and annual budget;
• submitting annual reports to CalRecycle describing how the PRO is implementing the plan and how the PRO has complied with the requirements of the statute and regulations;
• registering with CalRecycle’s Recycling and Disposal Reporting System (RDRS) or an analogous system developed by CalRecycle and reporting specified data;
• providing contact information for participant producers to CalRecycle upon request;
• annually auditing the organization’s books and providing a copy of the audit to CalRecycle for review;
• setting fees for participant producers to be used to fund the budget, pay the California Circular Economy Administrative Fee and pay the California Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund; and
• developing and implementing a source reduction plan and submitting specified data.

As the inaugural PRO, CAA, a 501(c)(3) that was founded in 2022 by companies that include Amazon, The Coca-Cola Co., Unilever and Walmart, says it will help all producers of single-use packaging and plastic single-use food service ware meet the requirements of California’s EPR law and advance the state’s goals of preventing plastic pollution and building a circular economy.

CAA says its vision is to be an approved PRO in all states that have enacted EPR laws for paper and packaging to deliver harmonized best-in-class compliance services, scale innovation and build systems that help companies and consumers waste less and recycle more. The nonprofit was founded by 18 companies from the food, beverage, consumer goods and retail industries in response to the passage of EPR laws in California, Colorado, Maine and Oregon.

RELATED: Maryland EPR bill downsized before passage

“The selection of CAA to implement California’s EPR program is a tremendous honor and further advances our vision to build a circular economy for packaging at scale across the United States,” says Charlie Schwarze, CAA board chair and senior director of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper. “CAA is composed of some of the most respected companies in food, beverage, consumer goods and retail that have come together to deliver harmonized best-in-class compliance services, scale innovation and build systems that help both companies and consumers waste less and recycle more.”

CAA says it participated in CalRecycle’s informal rulemaking process throughout 2023, building relationships with local stakeholders and developing organizational capacity.

Last year, CAA was appointed the single PRO for Colorado by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. The nonprofit also was selected by the Maryland Department of Environment to represent producer interests and serve as the single PRO on the State Producer Responsibility Advisory Council. CAA says it intends to submit an EPR program plan in Oregon, as well.